Grafting Tomatoes

John C. Gavin

CEA-Agriculture

Bradley County

Basic Grafting

• Rootstock

• Scion

• Graft Union

Function of the Plant Roots

• Support

• Water and nutrient

uptake

• Nutrient transport

• Storage

• Contact between plant

and soil

• Soil born disease resistant

Grafting History

The Chinese were thought to be grafting the

detached shoots and twigs containing buds as

early as 2000 B.C.

Grafting History

In Romans 11:16-21, the apostle Paul talks

about grafting "good" olives onto "wild" olives

Reasons for Grafting

• Maintain

consistency

• Improve vigor

• Disease resistant's

• Dwarfing

• Repair

• Other

Disease Resistant

• Natural

• Plant breeding

• Genetic engineering

• Grafting

Vegetable Grafting

• 1920’s: watermelons

• 1950’s: eggplants and cucumbers

• 1960’s: tomatoes and peppers

• In many Asian Countries tomatoes are grafted onto eggplant for bacteria wilt resistant

Root Stock

• Commercial Rootstock

• Cultivar Rootstock

Rootstock

Grafting Heirloom Tomatoes

• Asian Vegetable Research

Development Center

• North Carolina State

University

• Ohio Agricultural

Research & Development

Center

• Others

Types of Grafts

• 45 Degree Cut Graft/Double Splice

(primarily for small plants)

• Cleft Graft

• Tongue Approach Grafts

Grafting Systems

• Tube Graft

• Clip Graft

• Glue (new)

Tube Grafting

45 Degree Angle Cut

(Double Splice)

Cleft Grafting

Tongue Approach Grafting

Stem Specialized Tissues

It very important that the

vascular bundles of the

scion come into contact

with the respective vascular

tissues of the rootstock.

Time Line

Healing Chamber

• Place grafted plant into healing chamber as

soon as possible

• 2-5 days in total darkness

• Followed by 5-7 days for filtered sunlight

• Maintain temperature at 75-80 degree F

• Strive for 90% relative humidity

Reason for Failures

• Rootstock and scion varieties are genetically

incompatible

• Poor grafting technique

• Improper management of the healing chamber

environment

• Insufficient healing period.

• Mechanical disruption

• Insufficient sanitation

Management in the Field

• Keep graft union

above ground

• Stake and tie plants

• Remove lower prunes

• Remove ground

suckers

Bradley County Grafting Project

Bradley County Grafting Project

• Local favorite heirloom tomato “Bradley”

• No Fusarium Wilt resistance

• Utilized “Crista” as rootstock

– Commercially available variety

– Resistant to Fusarium wilt 1,2 &3

• Grafted older plants to ensure high graft union

Bradley County Grafting Project

Bradley County Grafting Project

Bradley County Grafting Project

Bradley County Grafting Project

Bradley County Grafting Project

Bradley County Grafting Project

Bradley County Grafting Project

Bradley County Grafting Project

Bradley County Grafting Project

Bradley County Grafting Project

References

• Asian Vegetable Research Development Center

• North Carolina State University

• Ohio Agricultural Research & Development

Center

• University of Connecticut

Questions

Starting Seeds

• Get Soil Test !

• Get Seeds

• Start 6 to 8 weeks before transplanting

• Seed takes 5 to 8 days to germinate

• 6 oz styrofoam cup is a good container

• Use a peat based starter mix in cup

• Keep cups in a warm place about 72 deg

Good Seed is Valuable

Planting Seeds

• Plant seeds ¼ inch deep

Young

Tomato

Seedlings

Early

Transplant

Growth

Cup at 3

Week of Age

Tomato Seedlings

Choose One Strong Shoot

Below First Flower Cluster